The Village Dog

We recently adopted a rescue dog – Alice Springs – an australian shepherd/​husky mix. We were on the point of returning her as she was so totally skittish and protective around our grandchildren. Sandra was recommended by a neighbor and, after a few months, we have a new dog! Everything is still not perfect but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Her one on one training as well as vast experience has made a world of difference.
I would recommend Sandra to anyone with a problem dog or who just wants some training assistance.‘
Thank you, thank you, thank you Sandra

I’m a bit disappointed about the retail side closing along with the huge sign posted outside. However, when I was in here a few months ago, the owner, conviced me to try a new brand of food as I was feeding inferior quality kibble from PetSmart. The store was fairly small and their selection wasn’t the greatest. Also, she wasn’t as helpful compared to Heidi at Holistic Hound, but she did try nonetheless.

Sandra has a great way of correcting bad behavior – in pets and their owners – without placing blame or guilt. Just a one-​hour session with her illuminated my pit bull puppy’s nature. I highly recommend Sandra for one-​on-​one training with bully breeds, she’s great.

I checked this place out on Unilocal and decided that since you lovely people liked it, I would give Sandra a call. Lucky I did. I called it jerk training cause my dog is a pain in the butt. Or was. Sandra taught me some great things and even promised me it wasn’t my fault my dog is bad at heel and such. In only four sessions, she turned my dog from annoying to well-​trained, and he even learned to roll over and jump through hoops. You can’t just walk in anymore and buy stuff, but she still has a good selection of organic dog food and treats you can buy by appointment.

Finding the right trainer to help your dog with certain issues can be a struggle as many of you might find. There isn’t a standard way for your dog to get from point A to point B that works with every situation. The main problem I was worried about was his shyness to people. Sandra was recommended to me by another client that had used her recently that had great success with her. Our first session was a great success and she armed me with lots of good information to help my dog. In the last couple of months you can see a noticeable difference with him and his interaction with people. We have been taking other classes during this time to work on rally and obedience which I think are useful, but when you have a specific problem to work with going to a expert like Sandra will make a big difference.

I stopped by here the other day (hey reviewer below) — I did stop to read the sign on the door.
It said they are now a training business without the retail, but still in that cute Albany location — which is awesome because that’s what Chachi and I really need *TRAINING!!*…
I have been referred to the trainer Sandra by a few people and the reviews on here sound like she’s amazing. I’m going to call for an appointment as soon as Chachi recovers from the big *snip* :(

My boyfriend and I have had about 4 training sessions now with Sandra and our puppy Momo. Our sessions have covered all sorts of things, like standard puppy issues, chewing, leash training, and food aggression. The best thing about Sandra is she’s as good at training people as she is at training dogs. She really takes the time to make sure the training techniques are understood by her clients, and that they will be able to replicate them at home… otherwise what’s the point? My dog goes nuts every time we step foot into the Village Dog because he loves how much fun our training sessions are. Thus far Sandra’s advice and training have been very effective and I’m very happy with the results. I have since recommended her to a friend, and would also recommend her to anyone reading this review :)

It’s like the damn plague…
Sadly, I drove past The Village Dog today and noticed the entire store has been cleared out. There was a seemingly lengthy sign on the door but I didn’t get to stop and read it.
My hopes are that they possibly moved… however, in this economy, that may be a bit unlikely.
Either way, I really loved having the Village Dog in my neighborhood — the owners/​employees were also so sweet to Mochi. We’ll miss you!

The husband and I have been to 5 or 6 one-​on-​one trainings with Sandra over the last few months. I say «the husband and I» because Sandra is training us, not Sophie. =) Sophie is 70 pounds (yes 70) of wiggly puppy, and with a large breed, we need to make sure we get her well trained and obedient before she grows to 100 lbs +. Also, Sophie is a perfect dog with no faults. ;-)
Sandra is a great trainer, who gives clear and concise instructions. She has mastered giving helpful critiques that are instructive without feeling overly critical.
Thanks for making our perfect «little» Sophie even more wonderful.

A fellow doodle owner recommended Sandra as a trainer and I reluctantly started the painful process of learning what I’ve been doing wrong. Thank goodness Sandra has no problem telling me what I’ve done wrong, not to mention how to fix it! My pup is showing the most improvement I’ve seen since we started training at 7 weeks old and there is no end in sight. Olive just lights up when we even come near the place.
Training prowess aside, Sandra’s shop has high quality, practical and healthy treats, toys and food. Her recommendation to switch to Orijen dog food has curtailed Olive’s chronic ear infections. Thank you Sandra! Olive and I will see you soon I’m sure!

I looooove this place. Sandra knows so much about nutrition and carries only the best quality food and supplies-​she really does her homework! She is also the Diva of all Things Canine and is very knowledgeable about dog behavior and training. Plus, she has some pretty good lookin’ pups of her own! THE best place to shop for your pooch!

This cute little dog boutique carries an array of hip, stylish dog toys and products. I seriously wanted to purchase nearly all of the toys I saw. It’s rare for me to go into a store where so many of the dog toys actually look visually pleasing. The buyer/​owner definitely has a good eye. But, things not only looked pretty, they were practical. There were no real useless items in the store… pretty much all items had a real function. Also, the food products tended to be all-​natural and wholesome, with even a whole fridge full of raw food.
There’s a nice room in the back for training services and behavioral consultations. I’ll update this review if we check any of those services out.

Great store, they carry Orijen which is the route we are going now. Raw is also available here and super cute collars, clothes, treats, bedding. Due to work, I’m not always to get there before closing but when I do its always a delight. The owner knows A LOT about dietary help, food, probiotics, and more. Check them out!

This is a store for people who have a real dog, not an accessory pet. The merchandise centers on healthy, natural and holistic food and training treats, and useful and unique dog products, with a refreshing absence of ridiculous designer dog toys that your dog will tear up in 5 seconds. If you have any dietary or health concerns for your dog, it is well worth the trip to Village Dog. I found dried fish training treats for my allergic dog and glucosamine supplemented jerky for my elderly dog. The interior is really nicely design and there are resources for dog training and behavior as well.

This is a lovely store for all things dog and the best private trainer in the Bay Area all in one place! And it is very close to Pt. Isabel which is very convenient too.
Sandra and her store TVD are simply the best. She really knows her stuff about dog health, nutrition, and behavior, and her hip sense of style is reflected throughout the store. It is always clean and stylish, quite a feat with canines romping in and out all day long.
I have 3 dogs and shop here every week. She has the best dog beds, collars, treats, dog food, and interactive toys around. Recently I bought a collapsable dog carrier (can’t remember the brand) for my little guy (pictured above) at Sandra’s recommendation so he could travel in the cabin of the plane with me. I highly recommend this type of carrier because with it’s tent-​like quality it squishes under the seat well but then springs into place and can be used as a dog bed or normal crate while traveling. Very cool.
When I pull up to the store my dogs go crazy because they can’t wait to go in and visit with Sam and Loriel who always make sure they get some yummy treats and playtime.
Check it out and tell them Hugo sent you!

The Village Dog is a great place for finding the perfect gift for the dog that has everything! They carry Paco collars, a local Co. & My dogs dig the grass feed MOO bones! As a dog trainer & professional dog walker I was pleased to find Shield Spray & a nifty bait pouch to help me keep the dogs inline while we have fun on the trails. They also carry some of the best dog foods available like Primal, Orijen & ZiwiPeak. The Village Dog has what you need and the staff is friendly — enjoy!

Sit — Stay — Shop is exactly what you will do here.
I just wanted to stop by this place real quick to see what they have. I ended up STAYing for about a half hour.
After browsing at all the healthy dog treats, great toys, and the table full of unique dog trinkets I had to SIT down at the counter where/​.
I ended up chatting with the owner about my new puppy. She knew so much and was so easy and fun to talk to that I could have STAYed all day long.
So although I went there just to look, once I was in there I couldn’t help but do a little SHOPing. The owner suggested a new healthy dog food for our puppy and some kind of bone that has made our life with Mushu much more peaceful.
The Village Dog — a great place to go shopping with your dog.